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Viola Davis

Viola Davis is an Oscar-nominated actress, best known for appearing in The Help, Traffic and Doubt. Viola was born in South Carolina, on her grandmother's farm; her mother was a maid and her father was a horse trainer, and the star described herself as having "lived in abject poverty and dysfunction" when she was young. The family moved to Rhode Island when Viola was still a baby and the actress majored in theatre at Rhode Island College, before attending the prestigious Juilliard School for four years. Viola has appeared in numerous films, including Solaris, Out Of Sight and Traffic, all directed by Steven Soderburgh, and Syriana, starring George Clooney. Viola played Mrs Miller in Doubt, opposite Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, and was nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy Award. In 2011, she appeared in The Help and received another round of award nominations. Viola's repertoire of acclaimed awards and nominations did't stop there, her most recent role in Denzel Washington's Fences put her on the race for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar. As well as her film work, Viola is an accomplished theatre actress and has twice won the Tony Award. She is married to actor Julian Tennon and has a daughter, Genesis, as well as two stepsons from Tennon's previous relationships.